Breakthrough
- The first few years of competitive cycling are always the best. In the first year, there are the predictable crashes and injuries, as one's increasing physicality bumps up against... physics. But typically there are great leaps and bounds in every racer's capabilities. The in second year, a sophomore slump can set in, but with proper encouragement and coaching, dedicated riders can break this malaise, upgrade to a higher category, and start the climb all over again. But after a decade or more of racing, these peaks and valleys tend to flatten out. Those of us who've long since accepted the slow decline that come with age and a bleak catalog of ailments and injuries must find inspiration in the careers of our young charges.
Team TATI began with not a little fire and verve two years ago. The crew was very young, very green, and full of potential. I intentionally tried to direct the team as if is were a cast of juniors. We'd spend hours every week on old fashioned handling drills: bumping in the grass, track stands, slow races, bottle drills, figure 8s. Powertaps, heart rate monitors, and even cyclocomputers were banned. We worked one legged drills, focused on cadence, and rode together as much as possible. And little by little, the group improved. At first, we would spend hours every week devising and diagramming complicated race plans -- plans which would unravel a few hundred meters off the line, which someone would start poorly, or decide to take a flyer, or go for a hamburger prime. But eventually, things began to click, and the young charges began to figure out how to really read a race and deploy rudimentary (if ineffectual) team tactics. And then we won a few races. And then the season ended. And then, as is often the case, with young teams, several of our riders moved away.
Our second campaign has been a mixed bag. Turnover has exceeded 60%. The summer's race results were mediocre. The quality and consistency of our 6am morning rides has fallen off precipitously. But on the other hand, we have picked up several stalwart masters, stabilizing the membership. In recent weeks, we have added a half dozen new riders, and have started to coalesce as a team around cyclocross.
And it turns out that we're actually better at cross than on the road this year. Maybe a lot better. Each individual rider has shown marked improvement on barriers, cornering, and general confidence. Some of our 4s have upgraded to 3s and are surprisingly finishing mid-pack. And at the last CCC race in Bartlett, Tatitos posted four top ten finishes and fifteen finishes in the points -- easily the best result of the year. I don't really know whether or not this represents a breakthrough, but did tip the scales this morning, as I stood in the kitchen, an hour before dawn, waffling over the morning's ride. The clicking hip and sore knees were lobbying for coffee at home, but the thought that my presence might help to maintain this autumn's momentum was more than enough to strap on the cleats and head downstairs.
Photos by Luke Seemann: 1 2 3 4 5
Photo by Al Thom: 1
Photo by Liz Farina: 1
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